Cyprus-Forum.com

[Get Real!]

Good idea or bad. Child of 13, no Greek, will she be OK?

We put our daughter who was 13 at the time into a Greek Cypriot school in Larnaca, with 1-2 private Greek lessons a week. For the first year she was what they called an observer, and although after her first year she stayed back for a further year, she has since excelled fantastically, learn't the language superbly and is now fluent, made loads of friends, all Greek Cypriot and is now more confident towards her education than she ever was in the UK.

So does she now speak horkatika?

[RichardB]

Good idea or bad. Child of 13, no Greek, will she be OK?

We put our daughter who was 13 at the time into a Greek Cypriot school in Larnaca, with 1-2 private Greek lessons a week. For the first year she was what they called an observer, and although after her first year she stayed back for a further year, she has since excelled fantastically, learn't the language superbly and is now fluent, made loads of friends, all Greek Cypriot and is now more confident towards her education than she ever was in the UK.

So does she now speak horkatika?

No you have to attend the Mitsis School Lemythou to get your degree in Horkatika

Either that or have your ears bent by my yinaicha for thirty odd years

[greektutor]

Hello there, I am a Greek teacher and I can tell you that Greek and especially Cypriot are very difficult. She will not be able to catch up with the rest of the classroom as the first year she will not understand anything! My opinion is to make some private lessons for the summer period and to continue the lessons later when the schools open.

[SSBubbles]

Hello there, I am a Greek teacher and I can tell you that Greek and especially Cypriot are very difficult. She will not be able to catch up with the rest of the classroom as the first year she will not understand anything! My opinion is to make some private lessons for the summer period and to continue the lessons later when the schools open.

I hope that you are not a teacher of the English language!

[jas]

What utter nonsense about the private schools being a hot bed for drugs and the kids looking down their nose at the locals!!

What school did you visit? People often say things about the private schools to make themselves feel better about not spending the money on their kids education.

I think its very unfair to dump a 13 year old in a classroom with kids who will be younger than her and expect her to do well....I know many people who have tried this and have ended up either paying for a private school in the end or returing to UK as they didnt have the means to pay for a private school.

As someone else said, maybe at 6 but 13 is more than likely going to end in tears.

[denizaksulu]

You have heard how fast Cypriots talk, making it more difficult to understand.

I never realized we talk "fast"... I'll bet Cypriots think the same about the English when they're in the UK...

More than likely, (I know that I talk faster at home than I do when I am amongst friends/out shopping etc)

Why just the English?

Good God Bubbles; you talk even faster than the Greeks. I am glad you never took me to your home. Webbo must be from a different planet!!

[denizaksulu]

Hello there, I am a Greek teacher and I can tell you that Greek and especially Cypriot are very difficult. She will not be able to catch up with the rest of the classroom as the first year she will not understand anything! My opinion is to make some private lessons for the summer period and to continue the lessons later when the schools open.

I hope that you are not a teacher of the English language!

Poor guy, he is after business. Do not underestimate kids. They are like a sponge. Good in absorbing languages .................and money!